Digital missionaries and Catholic influencers participate in the Mass for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers on July 29, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

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ACI MENA, Jul 29, 2025

For the first time in its history, the Church is celebrating a jubilee dedicated to digital missionaries, recognizing the vital role they play in spreading the Gospel in today’s digital world.

Among them are Catholics influencers from the Middle East, from lands where evangelization first began, shaped by persecution yet marked by deep resilience, and carrying with them a witness born from both suffering and unshakable hope.

A Chaldean voice for Christ online

Among the participants is Father Simon Esaki, a Chaldean Catholic priest from California with Iraqi roots. He currently serves as pastor of St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church in El Cajon. With over 100,000 followers on Instagram, he began focusing on digital evangelization during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“I was on social media before that, but during that time is when I really started to focus on spreading the Gospel using social media because of the closure of many churches. People were not going to church, and so I felt the need to go where the people were, which is on social media. I saw that people were using it a lot, and so I decided to start making videos to share the Gospel and to encourage people about their faith, to teach them, and to help them love Jesus more.”

For Esaki, this work is part of his vocation: “I see my social media work as an extension of my priestly mission, because my priestly mission is to help people know and love Jesus more. I do that at my church, but I also do that on social media.”

He said he was moved to take part in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries because of the source of the invitation itself.

“I was drawn to participate in this jubilee because it’s a very special thing to receive an invitation from a dicastery of the Catholic Church itself, and so I really felt called to come here because of that. I think it’s a very special and beautiful thing that the Church has initiated this… It’s the Church gathering her children who are in the mission field, this very special mission field of the digital world, and it’s the Church encouraging us, giving us tools, and uniting us to fulfill this great and beautiful mission.”

Reflecting on the impact of the jubilee, Esaki added: “I think that one of the fruits of this digital jubilee is that we are all being united in Christ in a very special way, because there’s a real unity that comes with being physically connected to one another. Yes, we are all digitally connected over these years, but this is a real special physical unity, which is the goal of our life in Christ. It’s to be united to him. And that’s what I hope is the ultimate fruit of this: that we are able to unite with one another, and we are able to help others be more united to Jesus Christ in his Church.”

Twins amplify the voice of Eastern Christians

Also taking part in the jubilee are Charbel and Giovanni Lteif, Maronite Catholic twin brothers who manage some of the most prominent Christian social media accounts in the Middle East and North Africa.

Through their platform, which has over 615,000 followers on Instagram, they aim to amplify the voice and presence of Eastern Christian communities in the digital space.

Giovanni told ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, that he hopes their participation in this jubilee can offer encouragement to those just beginning their digital mission. He emphasized the need for the Eastern Christian world to be more visible and engaged.

Charbel highlighted the value of learning from the experiences of other brothers and sisters in Christ and deepening his understanding of how the Church views the digital world.

Together, the twins also carried an ecumenical message, underscoring the importance of unity between Catholics and Orthodox, especially in regions where Christians face persecution. They also issued a heartfelt call for prayer for peace across the Middle East and North Africa.

From the peripheries of Lebanon to Rome

Another participant from Lebanon is Michel Hayek, founder of Yasou3ouna, a popular platform dedicated to prayer and spiritual reflections. With over 85,000 followers on Instagram and 290,000 on Facebook, Yasou3ouna has become a space where thousands turn daily for comfort, encouragement, and faith.

I chose to take part in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries because I believe the Christian message must reach everyone, and today’s digital platforms have become the new pulpit for bearing witness and proclaiming the faith,” he said. “I feel a spiritual responsibility to use these tools in service of God’s word, spreading hope and love in a world often overwhelmed by noise and superficiality.”

This experience, Hayek said, also deepened his awareness of what it means to be a Christian from the Middle East. “I carry a rich spiritual heritage rooted in the land of Christ, a land that, despite pain and trials, has witnessed the Resurrection. It teaches us to remain steadfast and hopeful in the face of suffering.”

As a Lebanese influencer from Akkar, a marginalized region in northern Lebanon often overlooked and heavily affected by poverty and instability, Hayek sees his mission as giving voice to a Church that remains alive against the odds.

“I offer a testimony of a Church that is still vibrant, despite all the political and economic challenges. I bring a spirit of openness and dialogue, and a sincere commitment to peace and love. Through the content I share, I try to express the Eastern Christian faith in a modern, accessible way, one that speaks to hearts across the world.”

Father Simon Esaki with Giovanni and Charbel Lteif during the pilgrimage through the Holy Door at the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries in Rome July 28-29, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Charbel Lteif

Giovanni and Charbel Lteif in St. Peter’s Square, Rome. The twin brothers, Maronite Catholics, manage some of the most prominent Christian social media accounts in the Middle East and North Africa. Credit: Romy Haber

Michel Hayek participates in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries July 28-29, 2025. Credit: Photo courtesy of Michel Hayek